Horrifically sexist Fisher Price advert on Mumsnet

[Chagula]

I am so fed up of seeing, on Mumsnet of all places, the horrifically sexist Fisher Price ad for a toy vacuum/duster.

A little girl is playing with the vacuum, pretending to vacuum the carpet, then she does play dusting with the duster that is part of the toy.

She is cleaning things! Like females are supposed to do! And then she has a lovely cuddle with her mother.

Because yes, that's what females do. Clean things, and congratulate their daughters for learning how to clean things!!

🙄

.

Why do you think Fisher Price have done this?

What. The. Fuck??

Who are the vacuous morons that buy this shit?

Who blooming cares? Why not campaign for more boys in Barbie adverts then? More girls in Nerf gun or Got wheels adverts? Absolute waste of time, ridiculous.

Children of both sexes are fascinated with hoovers, it’s ironically sexist to think girls aren’t allowed to enjoy such toys.

OP what is sexist about the advert?

Are you saying that if a boy was playing with the same toys it wouldn't be sexist?

Is that because you think only girls and women should do housework?

As you said OP lots of links to FP - Dyson and Henry also have them with static adverts with boys and girls. Better still steer clear of hoovers and get Chad Valley wooden seta with no children at all in the static advert

I’m more horrified by the ads for a piling company and another for a defib machine. Just what is MN/Google’s algorithm doing to assume those are of any interest to me?

And yes, I am surprised the Fisher Price add didn’t show both a boy and a girl using the vacuum toy, or maybe also the Bosch replica tool station they used to do for balance, but ‘horrified’ isn’t quite the word I’d use.

Wow what is this the 1950’s!
so depressing

Would It not be discriminatory for girls to not get cast in adverts for toy cleaning equipment? It would seem OTT to only cast boys to appear not sexist. They use boys and girls, which is right, as boys and girls play with these toys.

I don’t think this is an issue, I’ve seen Fisher Price use boys in adverts for vacuums, kitchens and other toys that are seen by some to be stereotypically for girls.

Well parenrs want gender reveal parties so they can set the sex expectations before the child is born

Then look at the gendered presents parents and other people buy ans suggest

And how many children are growing up in families with gendered expectations and role models and are conditioned to continue this as they grow?

How many grandmothers are expected to continue the caring roles

Come back when you've grown up a bit. The majority of people couldn't give a flying fig about this sort of stuff.

My dc, bys and girls loved a toy hoover. Dh and I equally clean.

Think you will find loads of us give a fuck about everyday sexism and how it impacts society.
Adverts are powerful and influence us. Do you think billions are spent on them for fun?

So why would they spend millions if no one buys it?

The hoover is not dominantly pink or blue, this advert just happens to contain a girl, why is that sexist? There’s other adverts on here with boys for similar products. It’s not sexist there just adverts

Everyday sexism, yes it happens however this is not one of those occasions. This is the problem with some of society they have a problem with something and then they make everything an issue. This isn’t sexism

Don’t some kids like to joint in when mum (or dad!) is doing the housework? My niece likes to sweep when my SIL or brother are tidying the kitchen so she has a little brush.

Do you feel the same about kids kitchens because it encourages girls to think they belong in the kitchen cooking?
What about tool kits for boys? I had a play tool kit with a drill etc, I also had a play ironing board.

I think we can look too deeply into these things sometimes.

Some people could argue in a room by themselves with no doors or windows about stuff that doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
FP might even sell a few more toy vacumns as a result of the ads on here, win win for them 😀

Just to say we’ve taken a look - although the version some people are seeing features a girl, there are also versions showing boys playing with the same toys.

The woman didn’t say “no thanks, she wants a nurse uniform”. She looked horrified and said oh no, it’s for a GIRL! Which made it look as though it wasn’t something the child had specifically asked for.

On Mumsnet?